HOUSE OF THE WEEK: Tune in to a real piece of history at Marconi House

Four-bed townhouse in Crookhaven on market for €895k

AT A GLANCE

Summary

Townhouse of three apartments which could revert to single residence.

Location

Overlooking Crookhaven Harbour, 10 minutes from Goleen or 30 minutes from Schull.

Selling points

Own your own little bit of history.

MAYBE if Guglielmo Marconi had heard on the grapevine how sought-after Crookhaven was going to be, he wouldn’t have sold his house in the area.

Gugielmo Marconi, who lived in Crookstown as he carried out his wireless development.

Crookhaven has a long and proud maritime history and it is also where the ‘Father of the Wireless’ developed his wireless technology which was  so important to shipping and helped make the radio a part of every Irish home.

The Italian inventor lived in the area at the turn of the 20th century setting up masts at Marconi House as he experimented with the development of radio and wireless. He would later set up a telegraphic station in the village and at Brow Head, connecting with aerials at the Fastnet. The signalling would ultimately change the very nature of shipping.

Marconi lived in what would become Marconi House in 1901, and the house is currently divided into three apartments in Crookhaven, one of West Cork’s most loved destinations. It has gone on the market with selling agent James Lyons O’Keeffe for €895,000. Selling agent Colm Cleary says the property is currently laid out in three apartments overlooking Crookhaven harbour and is a ‘wonderful opportunity, already operating successfully in holiday rentals’.

‘Alternatively, the potential is there to revert this historic building back to a single private residence.’

On the ground floor is a two-bedroom apartment, with kitchen, living/dining room, and shower room.

On the first floor is a one-bedroom apartment with sea views, divided into kitchen/dining room, separate living room, bedroom with sea views and bathroom.

The second floor apartment has kitchen, dining/living room, and bedroom with en suite shower and WC. 

The semi-detached property has a G energy rating. It has its own garden, while there is a patio area to the rear. There are four car parking spaces and a visitor space.

Interestingly, Elletra Marconi, Guglielmo’s daughter, came to visit Marconi House in 1998, to see where her father had worked. The family’s Irish connections date back even before Guglielmo – his mother Annie was from Wexford and part of the Jameson family renowned for whiskey making.

Marconi House is on the market with James Lyons O’Keeffe of Schull. Contact [email protected] or telephone 028 28122.